Should I use small or large setting for my fronts? (1 Viewer)

[Alex_C]

I have DefTech 2006 fronts. They have subs built in. The manual says to set them to large but I just had an ISF calibration guy over here taking care of my TV and he suggested small for the fronts. I don't really understand what the difference will be. Can someone explain.


Alex

 

[Jonny K]

From what I understand, when you set the speakers to "Large", you're basically telling the receiver to send the bass to the front speakers and not the sub. When you set it to small, the bass goes to the sub and not the front speakers. I think.

I always leave it on small, regardless of my speakers because I want my sub to play the bass. If you don't have a sub, then maybe use Large.


Jonny K.

 

[JoeHard]

If you aren't using the LFE subwoofer hookup you will want to set your speakers as large.I have the Bp 2002's and I don't use the LFE so I set L/R to large and sub off.

 

[Alex_C]

Thanks. I'm using the LFE subs so I guess I'll set it to small.
Whew. One less thing to obsess about.



ALex

 

[Mike Sloan]

Alex, experiment with the Large/Small setting and see what sounds the best to you in your room. Those 2006's can produce pretty good low bass (not like a dedicated sub) but depending on your room and seating position...you may find that you prefer leaving them in large. The problem you run into is that multiple subs that are not "co-located" can be create standing waves that cancel/add causing uneven bass response. That aside, maybe not!~

 

[Michael R Price]

Yeah, it depends on the sub and your placement. My speakers can produce bass out the wazoo if you want, but I would definitely set them to small if I had a sub; they still aren't as clean and deep, and the response varies with placement too much. Even with the built in woofers in the DT towers, you'll probably get better sound if you just route all the bass to a good sub. It's more significant if the mains are vented at a relatively high frequency like 40Hz... any sounds under that could distort them a lot, and mess up the midrange.

 

[Brian Bunge]

Also remember that the size of your room plays a role in the equation too.

 

[Jason_Els]

Definitive recommends setting the output to "large", removing the metal bridge between the sub and the woofer inputs and running the L/R pre-amp outputs to the subwoofer inputs on the speakers. This allows the tweeter and woofer to take all the amplified output and use it most efficiently while letting the internal subwoofer amp do its job without having to use an active cross-over. I've tried my 2002s a number of ways and this configuration results in the smoothest transitions with the most dynamic sound. I love my Deftechs.

 

[Michael R Price]

Jason,

I don't mean to argue with the manufacturer, but setting to large gets you the "most dynamic sound?" I would think it would be the other way around. The *active* crossover is more "efficient."

 

[Alex_C]

The problem I'm having right now is I don't have any mid-range.I either have the highs or the sub lows. I had the dealer out here a while back and he got it to sound nice. However, I just bought a new receiver and I can't ask him to come back because I didn't buy the receiver from him.

I didn't change the placement or anything. I just changed the receiver. I'm sure it's something in the bass management or crossover. What's a recommended crossover point?

 

[Michael R Price]

Alex,

How significant is the loss of midrange, is it a couple decibels or more like a big gap? Maybe you accidentally adjusted some sort of EQ in your receiver instead of the relative signal output strength? Is the loudness switch on? Do the speakers have dual binding posts that are connected together? What signals did you use to calibrate?

I think the usual crossover is 80Hz, which should work OK.

 

[Alex_C]

Michael:
It's significant enough that I notice it.
What do you mean what signals did I use to calibrate?

Alex

 

[David_Stein]

alex, good to see another person from pittsburgh. what dealer did you goto?

 

[Michael R Price]

I mean, did you use the receiver's internal noise generator, Avia or VE tones? Did you use the main channel test to calibrate the sub, or LFE only?

 

[Alex_C]

I went to the Listening Post.

I did calibrate it but there was no option to hear the sub.